1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for the selective production of an S-β-amino acid or an R-β-amino acid by reacting a racemic compound of N-acetyl β-amino acid with an acylase having an asymmetric hydrolysis activity on the N-acetyl β-amino acid, and to novel microorganisms that may be used in the above process.
2. Background Art
β-amino acids are non-naturally occurring amino acids that are not components of animal proteins. Like other non-naturally occurring amino acids, the β-amino acids have been in demand more as intermediate compounds for medical products, and have been used as ingredients in some medical products (Chimica OGGI/Chemistry today 10, 15 (2002)).
The following three methods are already known for production of β-amino acids using acylase:
(1) Method with Penicillin G acylase (Formula 1)
This method is most popular and is referred to in, for example, V. A. Soloshonok et al., Tetrahedron, 6, 1601 (1995) and the like. This method uses phenylacetylation of the amino group of a racemic compound such as 3-amino-3-phenylpropionic acid (referred to hereinafter as “β-phenyl alanine”), followed by division using Penicillin G acylase to selectively produce its R-form.
(2) Method with Porcine kidney acylase I (Formula 2)
The amino group of the racemic compound of β-phenylalanine is chloroacetylated and N-chloroacetyl-β-phenylalanine is divided using porcine kidney acylase I to selectively produce its S-form (WO2003/080854A2, published Feb. 2, 2003, Degussa Co., or Grayson & K.Drauz CHIMICA OGGI/chemistry today 10, 5 (2002)). According to the specification, the reaction did not substantially occur when N-acetyl-β-phenylalanine was used.
(3) Method with Glutaryl 7-aminocephalosporanic adid acylase (Formula 3)
The amino group of the racemic compound of β-phenylalanine is glutarylated and N-gluaryl-β-phenylalanine is divided using Glutaryl 7-aminocephalosporanic acid acylase to selectively produce its R-form (WO2003/020943A2, published Mar. 13, 2003, Aventis Pharma).
